About the Series

Lesley University proudly presents the Boston Speakers Series, an outstanding opportunity for our community – and the Greater Boston community – to benefit from the perspectives of national and world leaders, authors, activists, historians, humanitarians and other influential individuals.

As Lesley continues to deepen its century-long tradition of service to others, the University seeks to build knowledge and engage our community in meaningful dialogue. Lesley University’s Boston Speakers Series is an extension of our mission to educate, inform, and expand our global outreach.

We are proud to be an institution of higher education that cultivates individual growth and community well-being, which is why we present the Boston Speakers Series.

There are opportunities to partner with Lesley University to sponsor this thought-provoking series. To learn how you can engage with the distinguished speakers we present and reach our intellectually curious audience, read more here.

2015-2016 Boston Speakers Series

Leon Panetta, October 7, 2015 - Leon Panetta served in the U.S. House of Representatives for 16 years before President Clinton selected him as director of the Office of Management and Budget in 1993, and in 1994 appointed him White House Chief of Staff. President Obama nominated Panetta to run the CIA in 2009. He subsequently served as Secretary of Defense from 2011 to 2013.

Michio Kaku, November 18, 2015 - Known as a futurist and popularizer of science, Michio Kaku has written numerous books about physics and makes regular appearances on radio, television and film. He is a frequent host of TV specials for the BBC, Discovery Channel, the History Channel and the Science Channel. Kaku also hosts a weekly, syndicated, one-hour radio program called “Explorations.”

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, January 27, 2016 - Named in 2005 by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, Ayaan Hirsi Ali is known for her views critical of radical Islam and its suppression of women. Born in Somalia, she sought political asylum in the Netherlands to avoid a forced marriage and later was elected to the Dutch Parliament. Now a U.S. citizen, Ali’s best-selling memoir is titled “Infidel.”

Diana Nyad, February 17, 2015 - Diana Nyad came to national attention in the 1970s for swimming around Manhattan and then from the Bahamas to Florida. In 2013, at age 64, she became the first person to swim from Cuba to Key West, FL without the aid of a shark cage. Nyad also is a journalist who has been regularly featured on NPR and on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.”

John Irving, March 23, 2016 - John Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim with his 1978 novel “The World According to Garp.” Several of his 14 novels have been bestsellers, and five have been adapted to film, including “The Cider House Rules,” “The World According to Garp” and “The Hotel New Hampshire.” He won an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay for his script for “The Cider House Rules.”

Dennis Ross, April 13, 2016 - Dennis Ross has played a leading role in shaping U.S. involvement in the Middle East peace process as the point man for presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. With specialties in Soviet and Middle East policy, he has served as a diplomat under four U.S. Presidents. Ross has authored several books and is now a Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

The speakers include activists, authors and world leaders, each bringing a broad perspective, deep experience and scholarly focus that will examine critical issues, challenge conventional thinking, and frame new ideas.